Blues v Highlanders result: Blues prove title credentials in win over ...

Blues 47

Highlanders 13

The air of inevitability that descended over the Blues hosting the Highlanders eventually proved rather apt.

Despite the Blues rolling out a second-string team shorn of six past or present All Blacks, their ninth win in succession on Saturday night at Eden Park showcased their depth of talent and disparity in quality to their southern rivals.

It wasn’t as though the Highlanders were terrible. They scrapped for everything, applied pressure at times, and did the best they could with the morsels of possession they could muster. They were, though, never going to stay the term with this Blues team which, while not anywhere near full strength or throttle, proved in this seven-tries-to-one victory why they remain favourites for this year’s title.

As the 21-13 halftime scoreline attests, the Highlanders competed admirably for a decent period. The second half, though, underlined the gulf in depth with the Blues bench sparking a procession of points to ensure a blowout ensued.

With Kurt Eklund bagging a predictable double from mauls, and North Harbour wing Kade Banks scoring on debut, the Blues held the Highlanders scoreless in the second half, with the visitors never genuinely threatening to cross the line.

As has been the case in their 11 wins this year, the Blues power game ultimately bullied and blunted the Highlanders into submission by running for twice as many metres.

Locking away the Gordon Hunter memorial trophy for another year the Blues maintain their position at the top of the standings – and while the Crusaders [away] and Chiefs [home] is a testing finish to the regular season, with a hefty cavalry to return and support acts more than playing their role, they will be favoured to enter the finals in pole spot.

In a daunting dose of reality, the Highlanders could well meet the Blues in week one of the finals. This loss snapped a three-game winning run over the Force, Moana Pasifika and Crusaders – the latter the Highlanders’ first Kiwi derby victory in 19 attempts.

With the Crusaders’ playoff hopes all but dashed following their loss to the Brumbies in Canberra, the Highlanders are jostling with the Fijian Drua, Rebels and Force for the last finals spots which could well put them on a collision course with the Blues. Gulp.

To sneak into the finals the Highlanders must topple the Drua in Dunedin next week, and then hope to somehow upset the Hurricanes in Wellington in the final round.

With eight starting changes from the team that stole top spot from the Hurricanes last week, this was very much a second-string Blues side.

Mark Telea, captain Patrick Tuipulotu and the inform Hoskins Sotutu were handed All Blacks rest weeks; Stephen Perofeta, Bryce Heem and Marcel Renata pulled out late with pre-match niggles and Rieko Ioane and Finlay Christie remain injured.

Other than a frustrating penalty count despite those deflections the Blues barely missed a beat.

The modus operandi stayed the same for the Blues. Why deviate from a winning formula?

From the outset, the Blues adopted their favoured direct approach through their big, combative forward pack. That brought familiar rewards with tries to front-rowers Ofa Tu’ungafasi and Eklund from close range. Corey Evans also laid on a slick try for Cole Forbes with a deft grubber.

Defensively the Highlanders tried to aim up around the fringes and through charge-down pressure they had the Blues scrambling on occasions.

Both teams botched simple restarts to invite the opposition back after scoring points and lacked clinical execution in the red zone.

Timoci Tavatavanawai claimed the Highlanders’ sole strike from a Sean Withy inside ball in a deceptive lineout set move that proved all too easy. Millar then punished the Blues for their ongoing discipline problems to help the Highlanders remain in touch.

Losing increasingly influential playmaker Cam Millar to a bloodied face early in the second half didn’t help the Highlanders but with the Blues pack doing the damage, they never stood a chance.

Blues 47 (Kurt Eklund 2, Ofa Tu’ungafasi, Cole Forbes, Kade Banks, Taufa Funaki, Caleb Clarke tries; Harry Plummer 6 cons)

Highlanders 13 (Timoci Tavatavanawai try; Cam Millar con, 2 pens)

HT: 21-13

Liam Napier has been a sports journalist since 2010, and his work has taken him to World Cups in rugby, netball and cricket, boxing world title fights and Commonwealth Games.